European leaders will back Zelensky at Oval Office meeting with Trump

New York, Aug 18 (IANS) European leaders will back Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky with their presence when he comes to the Oval Office on Monday to discuss peace in Russia's war on his country after the summit of Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

France's President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Union President Ursula von der Leyen are among leaders who have said that they will be accompanying him.

Merz said on Sunday on X, "The Europeans will play a role in this: We will prepare it together."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was present at the talks between Trump and Putin on Friday in Alaska, told an NBC news programme on Sunday, "The only way to reach a deal is for each side to get something and each side to give something."

After Trump dropped his demand for a ceasefire in Ukraine after the summit that the Europeans had agreed on, the leaders want to make sure that Zelensky is not made to agree to concessions by an overbearing Trump, especially on territory.

Trump had berated Zelensky at an Oval Office meeting in February for his demands to agree to a peace deal, telling him that he did not "have the cards" and he was risking World War III.

"They're not coming here tomorrow to keep Zelensky from being bullied," Rubio said of the European leaders, bristling at the suggestion on CBS, calling it a "stupid media narrative".

"The President invited them to come," he added.

Trump and Rubio have conceded that the final decision on a peace deal was with Zelensky.

Merz said, "There are no territorial negotiations between Putin and Trump over the heads of Ukraine and the Europeans. That is good news."

After a strategy session with European leaders, Zelensky said on X, "Today in Brussels, I outlined our positions on Transatlantic unity, peace efforts, territorial issues, and security guarantees, including Ukraine's (right to) EU accession."

"It's crucial that Europe remains as united as it was in 2022. This strong unity is essential to achieve a real peace," he added.

"There is clear support for Ukraine's independence and sovereignty," he said.

"Everyone agrees that borders must not be changed by force" and "key issues must be resolved with Ukraine's participation in a trilateral format -- Ukraine, the US, and the Russian chief," he said.

But he also acknowledged a significant concession Trump wrested from Putin, to offer a security guarantee for Ukraine that the US would also participate in.

"This is a historic decision that the United States is ready to take part in security guarantees for Ukraine" which he said, "must be developed with Europe's participation" and cover land, sea and air.

Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who was at the summit, told CNN, "We agreed to robust security guarantees that I would describe as game changing."

He said that Putin had agreed to enacting legislation promising Russia wouldn't invade Ukraine or other countries.

--IANS

al/khz